The first guide to publicly-traded companies in the U.S., Moody's Manual of Industrial and Miscellaneous Securities was published in 1900. Moody's (now Mergent Online Rutgers-restricted) has continued to publish sector-focused annual directories to the present day. Entries include histories as well as annual financial data and news for each company. Collectively the manuals provide a year by year financial and historical record for public companies in the U.S.
While the Dana Library has these directories in print format, the Newark Public Library has many in microfiche format.